Quite literally among the booms and billows of black smoke across the nearby Gaza border deep in Israel’s southern Negev Desert, Shlomit, one of three communities of Halutza, laid a cornerstone and broke ground for its future community center. The new Jewish National Fund (JNF-USA) project, …

When the deadly respiratory infection Streptococcus zooepidemicus — commonly known as “strep zoo” — was discovered in an East Valley location of Maricopa County Animal Care and Control in January, director Mary Martin knew just who to call.

In Arizona, one in six people struggles with food insecurity, according to the Arizonans Preventing Hunger Action Plan 2017. Yecheskel Friedman, co-founder and president of Ezras Cholim of Phoenix (ECP), is quick to point out that this number includes many members of the Jewish community. Th…

Next month, a group of teenagers from around the Valley will be in Houston from Dec. 24-29 to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts as part of the Bureau of Jewish Education’s (BJE) second Hebrew High Winter Care-A-Van.

About 75 children who attended local Jewish day schools last year received a supplemental scholarship from the Jewish Day School Scholarship Fund, but with tuition rates rising, more funds will be needed.

The City of Chandler Diversity Office and its community partners are seeking volunteers for Operation Back to School Chandler, a back-to-school donation drive that will take place 7-11 a.m. Saturday, July 22, at Chandler High School, 350 N. Arizona Ave.

Duet: Partners in Health & Aging, a nonprofit interfaith organization, will hold a training session for its caregiver-to-caregiver mentor program noon-4 p.m. Monday, July 3, at Church of the Beatitudes, 555 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix.

Valley Beit Midrash (VBM) has announced the third cohort for its Start Me Up! fellowship program, which encourages Jewish social entrepreneurs up to age 45 to bring innovative ideas to the Valley’s Jewish community.

The national group Slingshot recently released “Slingshot ’17,” a guide that highlights innovative Jewish projects in North America. Four of the 50 programs on the list are currently active in the Valley’s Jewish community.

The nonprofit interfaith organization Duet: Partners in Health & Aging is asking for volunteers to help with its elderly clients during the hot summer months. As temperatures hit the high three digits in the Valley, many isolated and homebound senior citizens are left without services su…

A cohort of leaders from the Valley’s Jewish community took part in several events that remembered victims of the Holocaust and re-emphasized the importance of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Years ago, when Rabbi Martin Scharf’s son was in Cub Scouts, the organization needed someone to serve as an auctioneer for the Scouts’ cake auction. Little did Scharf know that he’d then begin a career of auctioneering at nonprofit events to raise money for a variety of causes.

Temple Chai is conducting a drive for cleaning supplies for move-in kits distributed by UMOM, the largest shelter for homeless families in the state. The Phoenix synagogue is tying together the concept of cleaning for Passover and having cleaning supplies for newly housed homeless families f…

Combining fun and fundraising has been a successful strategy for Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation Sisterhood for over 20 years. Two hundred participants played mah-jongg, canasta, rummy cube, Mexican train, scrabble and board games at this year’s Card Party, “Get Your Game On,” held Feb. 7 at O…

As rabbis and community leaders in Arizona, we are grateful for Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake’s unflagging support of Israel. In that spirit and with Israel’s best interests in mind, we respectfully ask Sens. McCain and Flake to vote against the nomination of David Friedman as United Stat…

In his month in office, President Donald Trump has challenged several long-standing American policies, only to back off later. The result has been to leave unclear exactly what American policy is toward China, Russia or NATO, among other things.

Prior to kickoff on Super Bowl Sunday, 45 teens spent the day with the Jewish Community Foundation’s B’nai Tzedek Youth Philanthropy Program. The Tikkun Olam Tour gives teens the opportunity to not only learn about organizations meeting vital needs in the community, but spend time engaged in…

The City of Chandler’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) campaign, in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, seeks volunteer tax preparers. The EITC campaign offers free tax return preparation to households with an annual income of $54,0…

After Ivy and Larry Lesser’s twins were born, the babies – Calyn and Charlie – spent some time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Honor Health in Scottsdale. Today the twins are 17 months old and Ivy Lesser has started a project she calls Budding Baskets, where she donates baby cl…

Operation Homefront, which helps provide support to military families, is partnering with Dollar Tree stores for Back-to-School Brigade, which provides military families with school supplies. School supplies can be purchased and placed in collection boxes at Dollar Tree stores through Aug. 11.

“Baby and Me Time,” a drop-in support group for parents of babies ages 6 weeks to 12 months hosted by the Shalom Center of Temple Chai, will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 22, at the house at Temple Chai, 4645 E. Marilyn Road, Phoenix. New parents are invited to share the experiences and re…

The American Cancer Society Road To Recovery program is looking for volunteers who can help provide transportation to and from treatment for people who have cancer and who do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves. Many cancer patients don’t own a vehicle, can’t afford the extra g…

Celebrate Volunteers has started a new website, celebratevolunteers.com, that provides an online community for volunteers and those who work with volunteers. The site tells the stories of volunteers and the impact they make. The site’s missions are to inspire leaders to celebrate and honor …

In support of its annual Passover food drive, the Bureau of Jewish Education will host a kosher dinner at Imperial Kosher Market before the Passages lecture featuring Steve Emerson, on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Beth El Congregation.

The Arizona Jewish Historical Society is seeking docents for its upcoming exhibit, “The World Knew: Jan Karski’s Mission for Humanity,” which details the life and actions of a Polish resistance member and courier during World War II who gained firsthand information about Nazi atrocities agai…

Repair the World, an organization devoted exclusively to engaging young Jewish adults as volunteers, has launched a special national campaign, Act for Racial Justice on MLK Weekend. This campaign offers an opportunity to host a Turn The Tables Shabbat Dinner on Jan. 15. Resources will help f…